Setting up properly

[camerart]

Hi,

I am learning how to set-up my new DX8. I have just built a T-copter, and I'm new to flying, and never quite controlled it yet, although I had a go on a Hubsan yesterday and could just about control it. I have a good receiver and some Orange ones. The T-copter has been made from as cheap parts as I could find +KK2 board and Orange receiver.

First try with KK2 V1.2 it all seemed near, although I could never be sure of the leveling control.

I have had trouble with the orange receivers, not binding properly, also the Dx8 doesn't seem to have proper T or tricopter settings, so I used Heli. Helis have swashplate and other mixing sections.

I have just updated the KK2 board to V1.6, since then it has all got out of balance. I can't use AUX1 for switching on the level control, and the yaw servo is aiming one side with only a little amount of movement.

Is there a better way to set the whole thing up cleanly, as I'm now all over the place, and not sure just what I've changed!!

Cheers, Camerart.

 

[Electro 2]

A few things, here. Orange receivers are all DSM2, not DSMX. Newer Spektrum radios are all DSMX by default. My Spektrum DX7 will bind either, the DX8, maybe not. On *all* multirotors with *any* controller, the radio must be set to *airplane* mode ("Acro" in Spectrum parlance.) None of the mix crossties are valid for multis, the FC does any and all of this that is necessary. I can't believe you were able to get anything approaching controllable flight with something else. It was always my belief that all this was common knowedge among multi guys.

 

[camerart]

A few things, here. Orange receivers are all DSM2, not DSMX. Newer Spektrum radios are all DSMX by default. My Spektrum DX7 will bind either, the DX8, maybe not. On *all* multirotors with *any* controller, the radio must be set to *airplane* mode ("Acro" in Spectrum parlance.) None of the mix crossties are valid for multis, the FC does any and all of this that is necessary. I can't believe you were able to get anything approaching controllable flight with something else. It was always my belief that all this was common knowedge among multi guys.

Lots to learn but I'm getting there, with help from people like you, thanks Electro.

I had to look up FC, to see what it means I'm assuming the KK2 board is the FC?

It's a mystery to me why the modern Radios don't have a multicopter section, as well as heli and acro.

As for your belief that all this is common knowledge to us multi guys! The last planes I flew, were either gliders, controlled by saltpetre fused steering ( I bet you have to look that up or rubber band driven or control line models in the 1950s.

Cheers, Camerart.

 

[Carapau]

[QUOTEOn *all* multirotors with *any* controller, the radio must be set to *airplane* mode][/QUOTE]

This is not the case I am afraid to say. You can happily set up multi-rotors using a heli setup providing you just check that the channels are mapped correctly. I have set up my WKM using the heli settings perfectly and I didn't need to remap a single channel. With that said I dont really see an advantage to this so best off just keeping things simple ie stick with what your FC manual says.

 

[ProPilotWannaBe]

On *all* multirotors with *any* controller, the radio must be set to *airplane* mode ("Acro" in Spectrum parlance.) None of the mix crossties are valid for multis, the FC does any and all of this that is necessary.

Thanks Carapau for stating exactly what I was going to say. I have yet to setup any of my FCs or gimbal transmitters as airplane. They are all setup as helicopters. Crossties are purely something the user *can* setup, just as airplane setups also have crossties available for them as well. But you are correct, you don't want to use them for any flight controllers.

 

[Electro 2]

Since the helo mixing does nothing for the multi, the only possible advantage is having expo on throttle. Many (most?) FCs have this function built in to their set up, so nada. For a noob, it would do nothing but confuse them. Yes, if you've flown single-rotor helos before, (I have), and you know you're way around the mix/TX setup, you could probably make it work. But there's no advantage to this. No fuse steered rubber-power piece here, but rubber driven escapements on single channel superregen radios, yes, was there in '66. BTW, FC or EFC = electronic flight controller, yes on the KK.

 

[ProPilotWannaBe]

I hear ya, and no disrespect meant by what I said. But oddly enough, I have never flown a helo, and my first remote aircraft was an Naza controlled MR and I set it up as helicopter on my Futaba, and it was straightforward for me... there was no mixing being done on any channels. It was weeks later that I found out that it even had channel mixing or crossties between some signals that could be enabled. And it was probably 2-3 months after I started that I first heard someone suggest using airplane setup for an MR. I guess I should add that I am not familiar with Spectrum transmitters, and maybe it was just easy for me on Futaba.

 

[camerart]

Ok, thanks. Back to the question! Is there a proper sequence of setting up a DX8-orangerx-and KK2 board?

Cheers, Camerart.

 

[stitch1615]

Ok, thanks. Back to the question! Is there a proper sequence of setting up a DX8-orangerx-and KK2 board?

Cheers, Camerart.

I use a DX8 and I have some Orange receivers. I have not had a problem using the gear switch to turn on the Self Leveling.
On the KK2 the sticks will either Arm or Safe the board.
Stick with the 1.6 first before going to the 1.6++ pr other firmwares. Maybe after you are more familiar with the board you can try the later ones.

 

[camerart]

I use a DX8 and I have some Orange receivers. I have not had a problem using the gear switch to turn on the Self Leveling.
On the KK2 the sticks will either Arm or Safe the board.
Stick with the 1.6 first before going to the 1.6++ pr other firmwares. Maybe after you are more familiar with the board you can try the later ones.

Hi Stitch,

The first Orange receiver wouldn't bind properly, only gave 4 channels and if the throttle was used the Aux1 output would go up as well, with nothing on the gear. I kept trying, and it did bind properly. Then it needed binding again, and now the gear works if I switch flap/gyro on the DX8, and aux1 doesn't (Set for stick to aux1). At the moment I can work with that.

I can Arm or Safe with the stick ok.

I'm not sure which firmware I used, I chose the latest probably 1.6++ I don't remember.

I went through the whole thing this morning, and on the DX8 I changed 'Swash' to 'cyclic>through' in the Mixer menu. When I tried the T-copter it all worked properly.

Took it to the 'helipad' and had my first hover with it. Sorry to say that due to poor workmanship, one of the motors came off and it crashed from 6inches up, smoke from the ESC told me that my flying was finished for the day.

Cheers, Camerart.

 

[stitch1615]

Hi Stitch,

The first Orange receiver wouldn't bind properly, only gave 4 channels and if the throttle was used the Aux1 output would go up as well, with nothing on the gear. I kept trying, and it did bind properly. Then it needed binding again, and now the gear works if I switch flap/gyro on the DX8, and aux1 doesn't (Set for stick to aux1). At the moment I can work with that.

I can Arm or Safe with the stick ok.

I'm not sure which firmware I used, I chose the latest probably 1.6++ I don't remember.

I went through the whole thing this morning, and on the DX8 I changed 'Swash' to 'cyclic>through' in the Mixer menu. When I tried the T-copter it all worked properly.

Took it to the 'helipad' and had my first hover with it. Sorry to say that due to poor workmanship, one of the motors came off and it crashed from 6inches up, smoke from the ESC told me that my flying was finished for the day.

Cheers, Camerart.

First off I would switch to Acro Mode and avoid the possibility of some weird Heli mix on my controls.
Quads and Tris do not need the mixes of the Heli mode and in fact could be adversely affected.
Mixes are just not necessary or helpful. All adjustments are made in the board.
By just plugging the 5th channel of the board into the gear socket you can activate the Self Leveling Mode.

So,,, you have learned the value of "Pre-Flight". :frog: Good luck.

 

[camerart]

First off I would switch to Acro Mode and avoid the possibility of some weird Heli mix on my controls.
Quads and Tris do not need the mixes of the Heli mode and in fact could be adversely affected.
Mixes are just not necessary or helpful. All adjustments are made in the board.
By just plugging the 5th channel of the board into the gear socket you can activate the Self Leveling Mode.

So,,, you have learned the value of "Pre-Flight". :frog: Good luck.

Ok,

I get the idea of the tx doing little and the board doing a lot.

And the 'pre-flight'

Thanks, Camerart.